Duke basketball picked up two major boosts this offseason, as Patrick Ngongba confirmed he’ll return for his junior year and John Blackwell committed as a transfer from Wisconsin. Those moves give Jon Scheyer a strong core to work with heading into next season.
That said, the team will look quite different from last year. Cameron Boozer is widely projected as a top-three NBA Draft pick, while Isaiah Evans is also expected to enter the draft. Darren Harris and Nikolas Khamenia have transferred out and found new programs. Despite those notable losses, the addition of Blackwell along with a promising 2026 recruiting class provides Scheyer with a solid base to retool the roster.
Here is what the Duke starting lineup could look like next season.
PG: Caleb Foster (Sr.)
Foster dealt with injuries down the stretch of this past season. After returning to post 11 points off the bench in the Sweet Sixteen against St. John’s, he struggled in the Elite Eight loss to UConn, finishing with zero points and three turnovers. It was a difficult ending for a player who had given the program a great deal.
All signs point to Foster returning for his senior season, and the motivation to finish his Duke career on a stronger note figures to be significant. He has developed into a reliable shooter and defender and has grown considerably as a floor general throughout his time in Durham. With another full offseason of health and preparation, Foster has the tools to be one of the better guards in the ACC next season.
SG: John Blackwell (Sr.)
Before John Blackwell’s commitment, there was a strong argument for five-star freshman Deron Rippey Jr. to step into the starting shooting guard spot. Now, with Blackwell on board, Rippey is more likely to come off the bench alongside Cayden Boozer and Bryson Howard—an arrangement that makes more sense for a freshman getting acclimated to the college level.
Blackwell, who averaged a career-best 19.8 points per game at Wisconsin last season, brings established scoring ability. That kind of offensive production will be crucial for Duke as it looks to make up for the expected departures of Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans.
He is also a capable defender, which takes some pressure off Foster, who is still managing the effects of last season’s injury and surgery. Blackwell has never been the primary scorer on his college team, but this is the opportunity he has been building toward, and there is every reason to believe he is ready for it.
SF: Dame Sarr (So.)
Sarr entered this season as a projected first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. His performance showed flashes of that potential, but he did not fully live up to the expectations placed on him coming in. Another year at Duke could be exactly what he needs.
At 6-foot-8, Sarr is a lengthy, versatile perimeter defender who has the physical tools to be a matchup nightmare on both ends of the floor. His offensive game still needs refinement, but the foundation is clearly there. A second season in Scheyer’s system, with a larger role and more consistent minutes, gives Sarr the chance to rebuild his draft stock while giving Duke a wing defender who can impact the game without needing the ball in his hands.
PF: Cameron Williams (Fr.)
Williams is the centerpiece of Duke’s 2026 recruiting class. Ranked third overall in the class and standing at 6-foot-11, he brings a broad skill set that includes scoring, shooting, rebounding, playmaking, and shot-blocking. He is an elite runner who can push the pace on the fast break and create easy transition opportunities.
Williams does not arrive with the same immediate star power that Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg brought as freshmen, but his ceiling is genuinely elite. Some projections already have him as a potential lottery pick in next year’s NBA Draft. He is a project in the best possible sense, a player with enormous upside who is just beginning to scratch the surface of what he can become.
C: Patrick Ngongba (Jr.)
Ngongba was widely projected as a first-round pick heading into this offseason but opted to return, in part because next year’s draft class is considered stronger and his stock could rise significantly with another season of development. The decision is a win for Duke on multiple levels.
Ngongba gives Scheyer one of the better shot-blocking centers in college basketball and a reliable lob threat in the pick-and-roll. His return also sets up one of the more compelling individual matchups in the ACC, as Flory Bidunga’s commitment to Louisville means the two best big men in the conference could share the same floor multiple times next season.
